David L. Horne, Ph.D.
OW Contributing Columnist
Sep 2 2010

Black August and a look at the future of African Americans

This week marks the end of Black August 2010. That appellation is not for economic largesse or an announcement that Black un- and underemployment have significantly declined.

Black August is the annual designation of a month of Black significant historical events and personalities that have helped to define what it is to be Black in America and what is possible in changing that status.

Aug 26 2010

The Elizabeth Warren issue and why we should care

On the surface, this really does not look like an issue Black folk or Latinos should be bothered with. Another Harvard candidate for an Obama administration job, and one that is not even at the Supreme Court, or Cabinet level just does not raise the ire or the emotional heat for many of those still looking for new employment, mortgage deliverance and/or courtroom leniency.

This is a Wall Street thing, isn’t it?

Aug 19 2010

Hasta la Vista, CAAPEI Baby

A few short years ago, I started writing this column at the request of a very good friend of mine who happens to own Our Weekly.  I was and am a prolific talker and community activist more than regular writer of journalistic hubris, but I saw a golden opportunity to better educate the public on the Reparations Movement in particular, and our shared political environment in general.

Aug 12 2010

The danger of voter resignation this year

If you tell a believable lie long enough, it becomes the truth to many people. Even telling a fantastic lie relentlessly, can get people to move or stand still, depending on the manipulated situation. In politics, these truisms work regularly.

Aug 5 2010

Cracking the metal bars: Crack and powder sentencing

This November 2, it will not be the Whitman-Brown gubernatorial contest, nor the various Assembly, State Senate and United States Congressional races that will draw a giant public voting response in California. For too many citizens and residents in the Golden State, there is only exhaustion, boredom and frustration with politics-as-usual; only the names seem to change.

Jul 22 2010

Neighborhood empowerment councils: L.A. “secret” power base

Admittedly, I have become entirely too blasé about expecting any of my beginning “Intro to Politics” students to dazzle me with their basic knowledge of who their California federal, state legislative, county supervisorial, city council and district school board representatives are.

They even have trouble with the eight Los Angeles Community College board members, and those names are in every class schedule, and their big portraits hang right outside the library seemingly staring straight at every student coming in or out of the building.

Across Black America

Here’s a look at African American issues and people making headlines throughout the country.

Alabama
The second annual Summit on Homelessness in Birmingham and Advocacy Training Institute held August 27-28. This year’s event was designed to bring attention to the civil and human rights injustices perpetuated in Birmingham and also to bring attention to the misplaced priorities of the political will of the city with regard to the implementation of the Birmingham Plan to Prevent and End Chronic Homelessness 2007-2017 specifically the building of permanent supportive housing for the chronically homeless was addressed.

California
Hundreds of African American Compton residents attended Project IMPACT and World Vision’s back-to-school celebration at Compton Community College, where children were given backpacks, pens, pencils, scissors, notebooks and binders, and the opportunity to register for tutoring. They were also given community resource information guides and a free health screening. “This is an event that is all about preparing our children for the future,” said Matt Harris, executive director and founder of Project IMPACT. “It’s a collaborative event that says that we’re just not looking to give out backpacks or a service, but we’re introducing them to community.”

District of Columbia
The Prostate Health Education Network Inc. (PHEN) will put a major focus on enhancing partnerships with churches in the fight against prostate cancer, when it hosts its “sixth annual” African American Prostate Cancer Disparity Summit” September 16 and 17, in Washington, D.C. The summit session on Friday, September 17th at the Washington Convention Center, when is part of the Congressional Black Caucus Annual Legislative Conference, will be entirely devoted to PHEN’s outreach efforts working with Black churches nationwide.

Georgia
Mary Pat Hector is not your average 12-year-old. She is founder and president of Youth in Action, a Stone Mountain-based organization committed to solving community problems. The group highlights such issues as child abuse and civil rights, while working to overcome youth and gang violence through peer counseling. On Aug. 28, Hector led two busloads of her peers and community activists to Washington, D.C., to celebrate the 47th anniversary of the historic March on Washington. “A lot of people are forgetting the dream, and I think it’s very important for youth to get out there and honor his dream,” said Hector.

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